Where are they?

Regent Street and Oxford Street are two major thoroughfares that form a large ‘T’ shape in the heart of London’s west end. Contrary to popular belief, Bond street doesn’t exist as a street, but is the name of an underground station situated between Marble Arch and Oxford Circus. About 500ft away is New Bond Street, which slices through Mayfair until it runs in to Old Bond Street by Piccadilly. It is often thought that this what Victor Watson of Waddington’s was referring to when he selected the streets for the UK version of Monopoly in 1935. 

Like a number of the other properties, I have included them together due to their proximity. New Bond street and Old Bond street are found in Mayfair which also happens to be the final property on the board.

​What’s the story?

Regent Street was named after the Prince Regent (Later George IV) and was principally designed by architect John Nash in the first quarter of the 19th century, cutting a huge boulevard through the existing streets and as such is regarded as an early form of town planning. The curved section towards Piccadilly was originally colonnaded, but was partly demolished in the 1840s due to the fact that the covered pavements were attracting prostitutes and “doubtful characters”. 

Oxford Street is a Roman route, and later went by various names including Tyburn Way, only becoming Oxford Street in 1739, named after landowner Edward Harley (the 2nd Earl of Oxford). 

Old Bond Street dates back to 1686, named after its developer Thomas Bond. New Bond street followed in the 1720s. 

How do I get there?

Regent Street is served by Piccadilly and Oxford Circus underground stations. Oxford Street is over a mile long with four underground stations which from east to west are Marble Arch, Bond street, Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road. Bond Street underground is close to New Bond Street. 

​What’s it like now?

Both Regent Street and Oxford Street are super busy shopping streets, which most Londoners will generally avoid if they can. I don’t know who handed out this award, but Oxford Street would seem to hold the dubious title of ‘Europe’s busiest shopping street’. I’ll be mentioning a few of the shops, but think big high street department stores and big name brands rather than small boutiques. If you’re visiting around the Christmas period, then both Oxford Street and Regent Street are popular due to their displays of Christmas lights. Old Bond street is largely lined with high end luxury shops like Gucci, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana. New Bond Street is equally chock-full of znazzy haute-couture shops, it’s pavements teeming with the super glamorous. 

Where would I stay?

A few of the hotels I’ve been to around these particular streets are the Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill (where I’ve also had afternoon tea), The Langham Hotel at the north end of Regent Street, which is often the winner of London’s most haunted hotel award. Just north of Oxford Street on Berners Street you’ll find the Sanderson London and close by is the Charlotte Street Hotel. All these options are basically luxury hotels, so if you’re a budget traveller or backpacker, then there’s a hostel on Dean street (just south of Oxford Street) called Sohostel or the hotels I mentioned in the post which included Soho. 

​What’s of interest?

Regent Street

Hamley’s

Reputedly the oldest and largest toy shop in the world, Hamley’s was originally founded in 1760 by William Hamley, and called Noah’s Ark. Since 2019, Hamley’s has been owned by an Indian multinational conglomerate company called Reliance Industries and covers about 54,000 square feet over 7 floors. That’s a lot of toys. It goes without saying that in the run up to Christmas, the shop gets incredibly busy, but it’s worth a visit just for the experience and encountering the shop assistants demonstrating toys on the shop floor with a slightly mad glimmer in their eye. 

Liberty of London

On the corner of Regent Street Street and Great Marlborough Street is the department store ‘Liberty’s’ which I mentioned when discussing the orange properties. It’s a lovely looking building, made from the timber of two 19th century naval ships. 

Other shops

The English fashion brand and retailer Jaeger has been trading on Regent Street since 1935, but was originally founded in 1881. The Apple Store opened in 2004 in a grade II listed, late 19th century building once occupied by a glass making and mosaic firm from Venice called Salviati. In 1898 they installed a beautiful mosaic on the outside of the building incorporating coats of arms from Westminster and the Venetian islands of Murano and Burano. 

Broadcasting House

At the north end of Regent Street where it meets Langham Place is Broadcasting House, an Art Deco building and headquarters of the BBC since 1932. Above the front entrance is a sculpture by controversial artist Eric Gill, who also bestowed upon us the font, ‘Gill Sans’. 

Oxford Street

Selfridges

Selfridges was opened in 1909 by Gordon H. Selfridge, an American who was in no doubt that the British could make quality goods, but less certain at our ability to sell them. Selfridges was London’s first American style department store with 130 departments and encouraged Londoners to view shopping as a leisure activity with the slogan “Why not spend the day at Selfridges”. 

Other nearby department stores include Debenhams, House of Fraser and John Lewis. 

The Wallace Collection

Just north of Selfridges, occupying a former town house on the north side of Manchester Square is The Wallace Collection, an absolutely brilliant gallery and museum which first opened to the public in 1900. The collection includes over 5,000 works of art (inc. Titian, Rembrandt, Velazquez and Gainsborough), furniture, porcelain, sculpture and an incredible selection of arms and armoury. Everything you see was mostly collected in the 18th and 19th century by successive members of the same family; the Marquesses of Hertford. The 4th Marquess left his home and collection to his illegitimate son, Sir Richard Wallace, whose widow in turn bequeathed it to the nation. 

I think the Wallace Collection probably falls beneath the radar of many visitors to London, whose itineraries are understandably filled with visits to the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery and the British Museum. If you can find the time to visit the Wallace Collection, you won’t be disappointed. 

The Cartoon Museum

Despite Britain’s long running tradition of cartoons and caricatures, appearing in news-sheets in the 19th century and comics such as ‘The Beano’ and ‘The Dandy’ launching in the late 1930s, The Cartoon Museum which comprises over 6,000 original cartoon and comic artworks and a library of over 8,000 books and comics has only been in existence since 2006, moving to its current site on Wells Street in 2019. 

The 100 Club

The 100 Club on Oxford street is a world famous gig venue, which began hosting live music in 1942 (as the Feldman Swing Club) with none other than Glenn Miller being one of its earliest performers. It’s been called the 100 Club since 1964 and moved from the Jazz scene to Blues, then the Mods of the 1960s hosting The Who and The Kinks, the punk scene of the 1970s with bands such as The Sex Pistols and The Clash, and more recently the Britpop phenomenon of the 1990s including Oasis and Suede. About a decade ago, the club faced closure, but a campaign backed by many of the musicians who have played there managed to keep it going and is a favourite haunt for big name acts to play secret shows when they’re in London.

Pollock's Toy Museum

Pollock's began life as a printers in Hoxton (east London) in the 1850s, later moving to occupy a shop in Covent Garden. The owner Benjamin Pollock made materials for toy theatres by hand. The museum moved to its location on Scala Street (Fitzrovia) in the late 1960s (as a separate entity from the shop) with its collection of mostly Victorian toys including teddy bears, dolls houses, puppets and toy theatres displayed across six small rooms and the staircases.  

New Bond Street and Old Bond Street

Sotheby's Auction House

Sotheby’s was established in 1744 and is one of the world’s oldest auction houses, specialising in fine art, photographs, books and antiquities, jewellery, watches and musical instruments. On the day of writing, a Rembrandt self portrait is being auctioned for an estimated £16 million, alongside works by Gerhard Richter, Joan Miro, Francis Bacon and Picasso (to name but a few). 

Most auctions are held during the day and are open to the public, with no obligation to bid, so if you fancy being part of an auction, why not pop in. 

Allies

Unveiled in 2005 to commemorate 50 years of peace since the end of WW2, Allies, a sculpture by Laurence Holofcener is popular with tourists, not least because it depicts a convivial chat between Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill on a bench, but because you can sit between them and have your photograph taken. 

Handel and Hendrix in London

The 18th century composer George Frideric Handel and 20th century rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix lived next door to each other at 23 and 25 Brook Street, albeit some two hundred years apart. Handel occupied an entire Georgian town house, whilst Hendrix rented a top floor flat briefly between 1968 / 69 with his then girlfriend Kathy Etchingham. The two buildings are now connected to create Handel & Hendrix in London. I visited the museum a few years back and it’s absolutely fascinating visit, particularly (as it goes without saying) if you have an interest in music. 

Royal Institution / Faraday Museum

On Albemarle Street, which runs parallel to New Bond street, you will find the Royal Institution which was founded in 1799 with the aim of introducing new technologies and teaching science to the general public. A large number of scientists have been associated with or worked inside the building (14 of whom have won Nobel prizes). In the basement you can visit Michael Faraday’s magnetic laboratory where he conducted experiments in electricity and magnetism and see the tools and instruments he used in his pioneering research. You are cordially invited to explore the building and discover the instruments that have made science work for the last 200 years and the key role that the RI played in the development of the modern world. 

Eating and Drinking

It goes without saying that in this part of town you are spoilt for choice for places to eat and as I’m not really a foodie, probably not best placed to offer advice. However, if you fancy treating yourself then I can highly recommend Nopi, just off Regent Street which serves Middle Eastern and Asian inspired plates. If you’re after a nice cosy authentic boozer that won’t be over run with tourists then just north of Oxford street you won’t be disappointed with either the Newman Arms or The Champion. 

I meet many visitors to London who have never encountered the word ‘mews’ before, or indeed British people who, although familiar with the term in the lexicon alongside road, street or lane, don’t actually know what it means.

The word ‘mews’ originates from the French ‘muer’ (to moult) and refers to the confinement of hawks, often in a tower whilst they gained their adult plumage. Bruce Castle in Haringey has a tower that is thought was used for this exact purpose. 

Mews became widely used to describe the confinement of animals in general and by the 16th century often described an area boasting a number of stables. The area we now call Trafalgar Square was, during the reign of Henry VIII, known as the King’s Mews and the name lingered on until the mid 19th century when the stables were relocated to Buckingham Palace. Although built 300 years after the King's Mews, the National Gallery stands on the site but incorporates architectural features from Henry VIII’s stables; the hollow pepperpots which would have acted as air vents to let the horse manure smell drift out of the roof.

​Many of the more affluent areas of London such as Kensington, Chelsea and Mayfair have large houses built in the 18th and 19th centuries. The house entrances face the thoroughfare whilst threading along the back is the mews; a service street where the stables were located. Aside from housing horses and carriages, these mews also provided accommodation for stable boys, would be where tradesmen could enter, and deliveries were dropped off. In their day, these tiny streets would have been a hive of activity and pungent smells. Today these mews streets are much sought after and the stables have been converted into houses, allowing the residents to enjoy the relative peace and quiet of a street that has little or no traffic in an otherwise busy area. 

In Brockley, south-east London there is a conservation area of Victorian housing which was developed as a suburb for the wealthy middle classes. South London already benefitted from a comprehensive rail network (one of the reasons that when the first Underground Line opened in 1863, and the others followed, they steered clear of south London). Residents in Brockley had easy access to central London (Brockley Station opened in 1871), and if needed would have hired a coach and horses, rather than have their own. For this reason, the mews in Brockley remained largely undeveloped, unlike other areas of London, and instead traverse the main roads like little country tracks. The stables which still do exist are therefore a rarity and add significant historic value to the area.

Over the last few months with lockdown measures in place and restrictions on travel and movement, Brockley’s mews have become little havens that children can explore, play games, pick blackberries or discover the latest street art on garage doors. On Breakspears Mews there is a community garden and Wickham Mews particularly, with mature trees, shrubs and overgrown hedges really makes you feel like you’re a long way from the traffic on Lewisham Way and almost transported to another time and place. That’s not to say you won’t encounter a number of abandoned vehicles or household objects left to be reclaimed by nature, but if you look carefully you can see the names of long forgotten businesses painted on to peeling timber and you might even come across the Royal Coat of Arms from one of the original gates to the Victoria and Albert Museum. 

What’s on offer?

Throughout August (and beyond), whilst adhering to the latest government public health guidelines, I will be offering socially distanced private London walking tours for individuals, families, couples or small groups who are mixing in a bubble.

Please Note – If you would like to do a tour with people NOT in your household or bubble, the maximum number of attendees is x6 (as per government guidelines). 

Each walk will be a maximum duration of x2 hours at a fixed cost of £100. (That’s for the time, not per person, so will be the same if it is one person or six). 

Which areas of London do you cover?

My walks tend to be in and around central London; Westminster, the City of London, Bankside & Borough and east London (Shoreditch, Hoxton, Spitalfields). The east London walks include a lot of street art. 

What will we learn? 

When you contact me about the walk, you can let me know which area(s) you are interested in exploring and / or any particular interests in the group. I can then see if I can accommodate and formulate a plan based on that. I do occasionally do themed walks (such as the Fire of London) but I tend to wander around warbling on about things I find interesting, and tailor the walk to the group when I meet them. 

I have done many walks either for schools, or for families who have requested the tour be geared towards their children.

We live in London. Why would we go on a tour?

I started ‘Bowl of Chalk’ over 8 years ago and for the first year or so, my customers were all Londoners. Until Covid-19 struck, lots of Londoners used to come on my walks to learn about their own city. People often discover how little they know about the city they live in, bits of street furniture they pass every day and had never noticed, curiosities and intriguing bits of architecture. Often, people who have lived in London for years, see it in a whole new light. 

Because of the current Covid-19 situation many people who work in central London are working from home, and because of the incredible lack of tourists who would normally descend on the capital in the summer months, it’s actually a great time to explore the city and enjoy the relative quietness. It also means that doing a socially distanced tour is much easier. 

When are your tours available?

I’m offering tours seven days a week (between 10am – 4pm) and happy to schedule them to fit in and around your own preferences (based on my own availability).

What Covid-19 measures are in place?

I (the guide) will be wearing a mask and all attendees will be required to also wear protective masks. Throughout the walk we will ensure we adhere to the government social distancing guidelines and there will be no shaking of hands / contact. A cashless payment can be made at the end of the walk using a card reader. I will also bring hand sanitiser. 

If you’d like to find out more, please peruse the Bowl of Chalk website, and have a look at what other people have said by reading some reviews. At the beginning of the year, Time Out London listed Bowl of Chalk as one of the “best London walking tours”. 

Interested in doing a socially distanced London tour? Contact me. 

Where are they?

Leicester Square, Coventry Street and Piccadilly are all in the heart of London’s West End, where tourists flock to visit Chinatown, take in a show, buy tat from one of the many tacky souvenir shops or eat in a generic epidemic restaurant.

What’s the story?

Leicester Square was developed in the 1630s by the 2nd Earl of Leicester, Robert Sydney. His mansion, Leicester House occupied what is now the north side of Leicester Square.

Coventry Street is named after King Charles II’s Secretary of State Charles Coventry, whilst Piccadilly is not named after a landowner, architect or any person for that matter …but a type of shirt collar popular in the 17th century. The ‘picadil’ was a stiff collar and ‘must have’ gentleman’s fashion item made popular by a tailor called Robert Baker, becoming so ubiquitous that the street's name changed from Portugal Street to Piccadilly.

​How do I get there?

Leicester Square Underground station is on Charing Cross Road, right next to Leicester Square. Piccadilly Circus Underground station is at the east end of Piccadilly, Green Park Underground station is in the middle and Hyde Park Corner Underground station can be found at the far west end of Piccadilly. 

What’s it like now?

I understand the attraction for some tourists, but Leicester Square, Coventry Street and Piccadilly Circus are probably amongst my least favourite places in London on account of their tackiness, the overpriced and not particularly great restaurants and the sheer number of tourists clogging the pavements. I’ve always imagined that Piccadilly Circus to be our own half hearted attempt at Times Square in New York. Piccadilly however is rather grander with a sort of French boulevard feel and as you walk away from Piccadilly Circus, the shops and restaurants become more luxurious and high end and the buildings seem to effortlessly ooze grandeur.

​Where would I stay?

Although unlikely you’ll stay there, I have to mention ‘The Ritz’, a Grade II listed hotel, opened in 1906 by Cesar Ritz after being sacked by the Savoy Hotel. It’s known the world over and intrinsically linked with glamour, opulence and famous guests. Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher died in 2013 in a suite at the Ritz, having been staying there for about 4 months. 

Just off Piccadilly is the Cavendish Hotel, then a little further towards Piccadilly Circus is Le Meridien. The Ham Yard Hotel recently opened in a newly developed courtyard area a stone’s throw from Piccadilly Circus. The Thistle Piccadilly is a 4-star hotel on Whitcomb Street, close to Leicester Square and I’ve also been to the Radisson Blu Edwardian on Leicester Square itself. If you’re looking for some 5-star luxury modern sheek then W London might do the trick. There are more affordable options for those travelling on a budget, such as the Premier Inn Leicester Square. 

​What’s of interest?

Burlington Arcade

Burlington Arcade is a covered shopping street which has been providing a largely wealthy customer base with antiques, silver, jewellery, watches, shoes, perfumes and fashion accessories since 1819.

You’ll notice the arcade has its own private Police force known as ‘Beadles’ (they’re the ones in the top hats and waistcoats) who for the last 200 years have been ensuring amongst other things, visitors don’t whistle, open an umbrella, sing or play a musical instrument or carry a large parcel. There is an intriguing reason why the Burlington Arcade is covered which I’ve written about previously, and just for the record, it’s apparently the longest covered street in Britain. 

Royal Academy

Situated in Burlington House next door to the arcade is the Royal Academy of Arts which has been promoting the visual arts through exhibitions, education and debate since 1768. The Royal Academy was founded as a privately run and funded charity, run by artists, elected by their peers (still the case today) as well as being home to Britain’s longest established art school. 

Fortnum and Mason

Fortnum and Mason (or Fortnum’s as it is known) is a large department store founded in 1707 by Hugh Mason and William Fortnum. The latter happened to be Queen Anne’s footman and as such had to ensure the palace was lit by brand new candles each evening. He kept the old ones, sold them on and used the money to help fund his new business enterprise. As such, you’ll notice candles are a motif throughout the shop, which sells groceries, household goods, men’s and women’s fashion and lots of other things, all at a slightly higher price than you can buy elsewhere. They’ve held Royal Warrants for some 150 years, currently providing ‘general provisions’ to the Queen and as such have garnered the nick name ‘The Queen’s Grocers’. If I’m in the area on a walk, I often take people in to Fortnum and Mason, just to experience the opulence of the place, and on the off-chance they’re handing out samples at the confectionary counter. 

Hatchards

The oldest bookshop in London has been selling books on Piccadilly since 1797 when it was founded by John Hatchard. Although now owned by Waterstones, Hatchards are bookseller of choice to The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles. 

St James’s Piccadilly

A rare example of a church designed by Sir Christopher Wren outside the ‘City of London’. St James’s was badly damaged in 1940 during an air raid, and subsequently restored. The spire is apparently made of fibreglass. Today you’ll no doubt stumble across the market in the courtyard and the church hosts regular concerts; mostly classical, but also welcomes well known faces from the world of folk and pop. 

Waterstones

Waterstones Piccadilly is the bookseller’s flagship shop and the largest bookshop in London, housed in an imposing 1930s art deco building that once once home to Simpson’s department store which in turn was the inspiration for the classic British sitcom ‘Are you being served?”.

Jermyn Street

Running parallel to Piccadilly on the south side is Jermyn Street which has been a mecca for high end gentlemen’s fashion for 300 years. You’ll still find an abundance of shirt shops, but also everything a gentleman could possibly need in the form of shoes, cuff links, ties, grooming, cigars, whiskey, natty dressing gowns and lots more. Just to stand out in the crowd you’ll also find Paxton and Whitfield (the Queens cheese shop) and Floris (the Queen’s perfumeries), both of which have been in operation since the 18th century. 

Piccadilly Circus

The term ‘circus’ literally comes from the Latin for ‘circle’ and like many junctions in the area, it was once a roundabout. For some reason, many people meet at the ‘statue of Eros’ which has been moved a number of times since it was originally installed in 1893 as a fountain and called the ‘Angel of Christian Charity’. The Eros moniker seems to have stuck, and even appears on maps. 

You’ll be unable to avoid noticing a huge wall of advertising which is able to exist because it is apparently the only plot of land in the vicinity not owned by the Crown estates (The Queen) who have an incredible dislike for advertising on their buildings. To make up for it, all the advertising is on that one building.

The Criterion Restaurant

Established in 1874 (and recently renamed Savini at the Criterion), this beautiful restaurant is a window back to a time when Piccadilly Circus wasn’t chock full of cheap souvenir shops, human statues and burger restaurants. It’s been used as a backdrop in many a film, and Sherlock Holmes fans might be interested to learn that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used it as a setting for the initial meeting between Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes in the very first Sherlock Holmes story; ‘A Study in Scarlet’. 

Café De Paris

Just off Piccadilly Circus is Café De Paris which opened in 1924 as one of London’s first nightclubs; its dance floor modelled on the ballroom of the Titanic. Today, they still host ‘the most debaucherous cabaret show London has seen’ (their words, not mine) and regular club nights.

Chinatown

Just north of Leicester Square is Chinatown, based around the very un-Chinese sounding Gerrard Street, which as you’d expect is brimming with Chinese food options which have been multiplying since the first Chinese settled there in the 1920s. A favourite amongst Londoners is the fabulously named ‘Wong Kei’ on Wardour Street, largely due to the legendary rudeness of the waiting staff. 

Leicester Square

In the centre of Leicester Square, a rather bemused looking statue of William Shakespeare looks out at the overly expensive cinemas, chain restaurants, tourists and street performers, adorned by a quote from Twelfth Night which reads ‘There is no darkness, but ignorance’ which currently strikes me as being particularly pertinent. 

The large Odeon Cinema on the east side is often the venue of choice for Film Premieres, but I’d really recommend checking out the nearby Prince Charles Cinema, who specialise in showing cult, art house and classic films alongside recent mainstream releases at a much more affordable price. When I moved to London 20 years ago, the Prince Charles Cinema was a home from home. 

The TKT half price ticket booth is situated on the south side of the square; great if you’re looking for bargain tickets to a West End show for that day. Like every tourist hotspot around the world you’ll find an M & Ms World and also a Lego Store.

Leicester Square is generally somewhere I avoid, unless I’m required to pass through it en-route to somewhere else. 

Theatres

You are in Theatreland. There are theatres everywhere, but I just wanted to mention the Jermyn Street Theatre, a small studio theatre with an audience capacity of 70. If you’re looking for theatre that is intimate and independent, then you should definitely see what the Jermyn Street Theatre have to offer.

Where is it?

Trafalgar Square is about as close to the centre of London as you can get and is where a number of the Monopoly board properties converge; Strand (red) to the east, Whitehall and Northumberland Avenue (pink) to the south, Pall Mall (pink) to the west and Leicester Square (yellow) to the north. 

What’s the story?

One of our favourite pass times in this country seems to be going on about beating the French in battles. Trafalgar Square is no exception. It was opened as a public square in the 1840s and named after a naval battle we won against a joint French and Spanish fleet off the south-west coast of Spain (near Cape Trafalgar) in 1805. Prior to that, the area had been known as ‘King’s Mews’, housing the Royal stables which were moved to their current site within the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

The name ‘Trafalgar’ is actually of Arabic origin, originally being ‘Taraf - al - Ghar’ meaning ‘extremity’ or ‘edge’, in reference to the Cape Trafalgar’s coastal position. 

​How do I get there?

One of the exits of Charing Cross Underground Station pops out in Trafalgar Square itself. Failing that, Embankment and Leicester Square Underground stations are just a few minutes away.

What’s it like now?

Trafalgar Square is a sort of magnet in London, effortlessly pulling tourists towards it, largely because it is in the midst of a host of sights and places popular with visitors, but also because it’s Trafalgar Square …and heading to Trafalgar Square is just what you do.

The road running along the north side of the square in front of the National Gallery was pedestrianised just under 20-years ago, and has become a place for human statues in Yoda costumes, street performers, buskers, pick pockets and what author Russell Hoban would describe as ‘the low budget drinking club' to hang out. 

It’s the kind of place you might want to pass through rather than linger and have a picnic. However, if you get there early in the morning before it gets busy it can be quite tranquil. 

Trafalgar Square has been a place for political demonstrations and gatherings since it opened and today is no different, often hosting celebrations of the different faiths and cultures that make London such a cosmopolitan city. 

Where would I stay?

You have plenty of options. Aside from the hotels I included in the Whitehall and Northumberland Avenue post, I’ve picked people up to do tours from the Haymarket Hotel, which is a minutes walk from Trafalgar Square on Suffolk Place. I’ve been to the St Martin’s Lane Hotel on the lane of the same name and as mentioned before, the Amba Hotel over Charing Cross station is a popular choice. There seems to be a plethora of private apartments that can be rented in the area too. 

​What’s of interest?

Out of all the properties on the Monopoly board, Trafalgar Square is the most compact, but there are many interesting things all within a couple of hundred yards. 

National Gallery

Opened in 1838, the National Gallery began life in the 1820s in a house on Pall Mall with 38 paintings that had belonged to a banker called John Julius Angerstein. Today the collection comprises just under 3,000 paintings, including works by Hans Holbein, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Titian and Turner …to name but a few. One of my personal favourites is ‘Supper at Emmaus’ by Caravaggio. 

In 1991, the Sainsbury Wing opened on the north-west corner of the square and houses much of the renaissance works in the collection. 

National Portrait Gallery 

With its entrance just around the corner from the National Gallery on Charing Cross Road, when it opened in 1856, the National Portrait Gallery was the first gallery dedicated to portraits in the world. The galleries are all arranged chronologically, displaying portraits of historically significant or famous British people and includes the ‘Chandos Portrait’ of William Shakespeare. 

The collection also comprises a large amount of photographs and each year hosts the BP Portrait Award in which anyone of the age of 18 can submit a portrait for consideration. About 50 or 60 portraits are chosen for the exhibition and is always a treat.

St Martin-in-the-Fields

As the name of this church would suggest, this area was once quite rural. There’s been a church on the site since the 13th century and the current one, which presides over the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square was completed in 1726 to the design of architect James Gibbs. St Martin-in-the-Fields hosts regular free lunchtime concerts, has a café in the crypt and a brass rubbing centre and exhibition space. They also run a homeless shelter next door. Fans of Harry Potter might be intrigued to learn that J.K Rowling worked for Amnesty International in offices beneath the church in the early 1990s, when she was working on the Harry Potter series.

London Coliseum

Being in Trafalgar Square, you’re never going to be far from a theatre, but just a few steps up St Martin’s Lane you’ll find the London Coliseum which was opened in 1904 by theatre impresario Oswald Stoll. The story goes that Stoll meant it to be named after the Colosseum in Rome, but spelt it incorrectly which he later maintained he’d done on purpose. Then again you probably would, wouldn’t you? Today’s it home to the ENO, the English National Opera. 

Statues

Nelson’s Column

Dominating the south end of Trafalgar Square is the imposing Nelson’s Column, which stands just under 170ft tall and is topped off by a statue of Admiral Horatio Nelson, who died at the Battle of Trafalgar. The column was completed in 1843 and apparently is the same height as the mast of Nelson’s ship, the HMS Victory.

The four bronze lions around the base are equally famous and were added some 25 years later and created by Edwin Landseer who interestingly was a water colourist and had never made a sculpture in his life. Supposedly, Queen Victoria had a couple of dead lions sent to his studio to use as models, but he chose to base the hind legs and back end of each lion on his own dogs, which is why it’s physically impossible for an actual to lion to sit as Landseer’s lions do in Trafalgar Square. 

The Fourth Plinth

There are a number of ‘dead white men’ statues in the square including King George IV on the north-east corner. However, funds ran out before the final statue of King William IV could be added on the north-west corner and for the next 150 years or so it remained empty. Since the early 2000s the plinth has become a place for temporary artworks including sculptures by Antony Gormley, Yinka Shonibare and more recently Michael Rakowitz’s ‘The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist’. There are some who believe the spot is being reserved for a statue of The Queen after she pops her clogs, and after recent events, calls have been made for it to be a place to honour victims of the slave trade. 

George Washington

American visitors might be interested to see a statue of George Washington on a patch of grass outside the National Gallery, next to Charing Cross Road. It was a gift from the people of Virginia in the 1920s and legend would have you believe that because Washington said he never wanted to set foot on English soil, American soil was shipped over with the statue and laid down beneath.

Charles I

On a little roundabout just to the south of Trafalgar Square is a statue of King Charles I who has the distinction of being the only Monarch we’ve ever executed. He had his head chopped off on the 30th January 1649 at Banqueting House (visible down Whitehall from the statue). The statue had actually been made during Charles I’s lifetime and a guy called John Rivett had been asked to melt it down and turn it in to souvenirs that people could buy at the execution. However, it turns out that John Rivett was a Royalist (which he neglected to mention), melted down something else and hid the statue. Then when Charles II returned in 1660, Rivett sold it back to him. 

Edith Cavell

Just opposite the entrance to the National Portrait Gallery is a statue of a nurse called Edith Cavell who during WWI was executed by a German firing squad after being accused of espionage. Although she had been helping to evacuate British soldiers from occupied Belgium, as a nurse she tended to soldiers from all sides without discrimination and the base of the statue is inscribed with her quote “I must have no hatred or bitterness for anyone”.

Other points of interest

The Centre of London

On the roundabout, just behind the statue of Charles I is a plaque on the floor which basically marks the centre of London and mentions also that ‘Mileages from London are measured from this point’. 

The spot marks where the final cross was erected in 1290 on the behest of Edward I after his wife Eleanor died and was brought from Lincoln to Westminster. There were 12 crosses altogether and marked the processional route to London (A 19th century replica stands outside Charing Cross railway station), but the central-ness of the spot really boils down to it being a central meeting point between the City of Westminster and the City of London when there was little else in between. Since 1865 cab drivers have been required to learn ‘the knowledge’, which are streets, monuments, hotels and places of interest, from memory. Today that amounts to about 24,000 streets and 320 routes within a 6-mile radius of that exact plaque. 

Britain’s smallest Police station

On the south-east corner of Trafalgar Square is a pillar which many people pass without a second glance. It was in fact added in the 1920s as a lock-up for drunk and disorderly people. (A drunk tank). Today it seems to be used to house odds and ends like brushes and bags of grit. 

The crossing lights

When you cross the roads around Trafalgar Square, pay particular attention to the crossing lights. They must surely be the most politically correct crossing lights in the world. A few years ago, the ubiquitous ‘green man’ was changed to celebrate the Pride Festival to two men or two women holdings hands, and even a couple bearing the transgender sign. It seems no one got around to changing them back and last year, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan decided they should stay forever.

A distinct lack of pigeons

If I meet people on walks who haven’t been to London for 20 or 30 years, and are in Trafalgar Square, they always say “Where have the pigeons gone?”. Trafalgar Square was famous for having a population of about 30,000 pigeons and people would buy bird seed from vendors to feed them. It cost Westminster Council a fortune in cleaning away bird poo, plus the fact that it damages stone work and statues. About 20-years ago, the pigeon food sellers were banned and now every morning someone turns up with a Harrier Hawk or two and flies them around to scare the pigeons away. It works. 

​Also in the series:

#00 – Introduction
#01 – Old Kent Road
#02 – Whitechapel Road
#03 – The Angel, Euston Rd & Pentonville Rd
#04 - Pall Mall
#05 – Whitehall & Northumberland Avenue
#06 – Bow Street
#07 – Marlborough Street & Vine Street
#08 - Strand
#09 - Fleet street

Where is it?

Fleet Street runs from the end of Strand to Ludgate Circus junction. Despite being only about 550 metres long, it packs in a lot. 

What’s the story?

The street takes its name from the river Fleet, one of London’s ‘lost’ rivers which still trickles along in tunnels beneath Farringdon Street and New Bridge Street, perpendicular to Fleet Street where it joins Ludgate Hill. 

Originally the river formed the natural western boundary of the Roman city of Londinium. From the early years of the 16th century, Fleet Street became a hub for printing and publishing, which at the beginning of the 18th century moved in to newspapers. By the 20th century almost every building on Fleet Street belonged to a national newspaper with both the writing and printing taking place on the street, spawning the name ‘ink street’. Even though all of the newspapers began moving out in the 1980s, “Fleet Street” is in the UK still used as a byword for the newspaper industry. 

​How do I get there?

As Fleet Street literally runs from Strand, you could get the No.15 bus (mentioned in the Strand post), or alternatively use Blackfriars Station. Temple or Chancery Lane stations are within easy walking distance.  If you’re travelling from further afield, there’s a City Thameslink station on Ludgate Hill with ‘real trains’ that come in from Brighton and Gatwick in the south, parts of south east London and Bedford, Cambridge and St Albans to the north. 

What’s it like now?

Some of the newspaper heritage is still visible with names of newspapers lingering on buildings, but the historic identity of ‘ink street’ is long gone, and has become a generic business street. As a main thoroughfare between Westminster and the City it does get super busy (particularly at peak times), many of the buildings are interesting to look at, particularly above eye level and heading east you are afforded a lovely view of St Paul’s cathedral at the top of Ludgate Hill. 

Where would I stay?

I do occasionally meet people who stay in and around Fleet Street, which I think is an interesting choice. Firstly, you’d be incredibly well placed between the main sites of Westminster to the west and St Paul’s cathedral and the Tower of London to the east. It is a business district, so during the week, the pubs in particular would be packed, but on the weekend, it’d be dead and you’d find many of the shops don’t bother opening. I’ve met people to do a private walk at the Apex Temple Court Hotel on Fleet Street and they did say that almost every other guest was a business man or woman staying for work reasons. There is a Premier Inn close by just behind St Bride’s church but if you’d rather be close to St Paul’s cathedral there’s the King’s Wardrobe secreted away in a lovely little courtyard or the recently renamed Leonardo Royal Hotel. Budget travellers will be thrilled to learn that there’s a YHA Hostel on Carter Lane in a building formerly occupied by St Paul’s cathedral choristers. 

​What’s of interest?

City of London Dragon

If you begin at the east end of Fleet Street where it meets Strand, you are standing at Temple Bar which marks the boundary between Westminster and the City of London. It was a later western extension of the original Roman city, and as such had a gate, known as ‘Temple Bar’ because it began life as a simple bar across a gate close to the Temple church. The city gates were largely removed in the 18th century due to congestion problems, but Temple Bar survived, and with its own intriguing history can now be found between St Paul’s cathedral and Paternoster Square.

The City of London boundaries are now marked by dragons (There are 13 of them) and this one was erected in 1880 with sculptures of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in niches either side. The Dragon (sometime referred to as a Griffin) is the symbol of the City of London, holding a shield with the cross of St George and a small sword of St Paul; the coat of arms of the City of London. 

Temple Church

To your right, you’ll find the myriad of passages leading down to the river, which are the precincts of Inner Temple and Middle Temple Inns of Court and the wonderful Temple Church, mentioned in the Strand post.

Dr Johnson’s House

Tucked away on Gough Square is one of London’s small house museums; Dr Johnson’s House. Much of the area was destroyed during WWII but No.17, despite being damaged (still visible) was spared demolition largely on account of the fact that it was where the first definitive dictionary was compiled in 1755 by the larger than life character that was Samuel Johnson. His quote “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life” adorns the introduction to almost every book about London ever written. If you’d like to learn about Johnson, his contemporaries like David Garrick or the former slave Francis Barber who became Johnson’s man servant and heir to his fortune, or just about life in 18th century London, then it’s well worth a visit. Also say hello to the statue of Johnson’s cat Hodge who sits proudly on a dictionary at the opposite end of the square. 

St Bride’s Church

A number of churches around London have secrets which you only find out about if you go in and explore. St Bride’s on Fleet Street is no exception. Following the familiar pattern of many of the City churches, St Bride’s was a medieval church burned down in the Great Fire of 1666, rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren and then bombed in WWII. St Bride’s was completely gutted but lovingly restored and is known as the ‘Journalists and Printers’ church’. In the north east corner, you’ll discover an altar adorned with photos of journalists who have died whilst reporting in war zones. 

I encourage you to head down in to the crypt where you’ll find cases filled with artefacts that have been found on the site, dating back to the Roman period, and exhibition boards detailing the history of the Fleet Street printing industry.

If you wander over to the small chapel at the far end, you’ll see reflected back in angled mirrors on the ceiling, the remnants of a Roman pavement, hidden beyond a medieval wall. If you join one of the church’s weekly Tuesday afternoon tours, you’ll even get to see the thousands of bones piled up in the ossuary next door. Not for the squeamish. 

I almost forgot. Perhaps the most famous thing about St Bride’s is their spire and its distinctive tiered design which is said to have inspired a local baker to create the first tiered wedding cake. For this reason, many people simply call it ‘the wedding cake church’. 

​William Shakespeare

If you walk up Ludgate towards St Paul’s cathedral there are a number of little lanes and alleyways off to your right in an area that once belonged to a large Dominican Monastery, whose monks wore black. The area, a pub, a station and a bridge are now all known as ‘Blackfriars’. In 1613, the Globe Theatre on Bankside burned down during a performance of Henry VIII. The Lord Chamberlain’s Men (the theatre troupe Shakespeare belonged to) decanted to the old Blackfriars Monastery and built an indoor candle-lit playhouse whilst the Globe was being rebuilt. You’ll still find ‘Playhouse Yard’ there today. William Shakespeare bought a house close by (the deed of which still exists) just three years before his death. You’ll find a plaque commemorating the fact on St Andrew’s Hill on a building on the other side of Ireland Yard from a pub called ‘The Cockpit’. 

St Paul’s cathedral

Like a number of ‘places of interest’ I’ve mentioned, a short paragraph clearly does not do St Paul’s cathedral justice. There’s been a church dedicated to St Paul on the same site since the year 604. The current cathedral was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and finished in the first decade of the 18th century after the previous building (known as Old St Paul’s) burned down during the Great Fire of 1666.

The cathedral reaches 365ft tall (one for foot for each day of the year) and remained the tallest building in London for just over 250 years until it was usurped by the Post Office Tower (now the BT Tower) in 1963. Despite now being way down the list of London’s tallest buildings, St Paul’s cathedral remains a protected view and remains visible from a number of vantage points around London. 

Horatio Nelson’s tomb has pride of place in the crypt directly beneath the dome and the cathedral has hosted the funerals of the Duke of Wellington, Winston Churchill and more recently Margaret Thatcher, not to mention the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana in 1981. Like Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s cathedral is first and foremost a place of worship, but aside from regular services there’s so much to experience. If your legs will allow, climb to the top of the dome (2nd biggest in Europe after St Peter’s in Rome) for incredible views across London, learn how the building survived the intense bombing in the area during WWII and much more. 

Postman’s Park

A short walk from St Paul’s cathedral, you’ll find postman’s park in the former church yard of the wonderfully named church of St Boltoph without-Aldersgate. In 1900 a small section of the garden was given over to a memorial dedicated to ‘Heroic Self-Sacrifice’ with the names of people who died in the act of saving another person’s life. The tablets are beautifully rendered, incredibly moving in their simplicity and featured prominently in the film ‘Closer’ based on the play of the same name by Patrick Marber. 

Smithfield

Just north of St Paul’s cathedral is an area called Smithfield, which for the last 900 years has been a meat market. However, all that is about to change as the Museum of London, an absolutely brilliant museum about the history of London is preparing to move in to the Victorian meat market buildings. The area is on the verge of a huge amount of change, but it’s a fascinating area. Scottish patriots or fans of Mel Gibson’s ‘Braveheart’ might like to pay a visit to the spot where William Wallace was executed in 1305. Close by is the beautiful medieval church of St Bartholomew-the-Great, originally part of an Augustinian priory in 1123 and has been used as a film location for films such as ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’, Robin Hood; Prince of Thieves’, ‘Shakespeare in Love’ and many more.

On the other side of the market is a genuine bona-fide hidden gem in the form of Charterhouse, a 14th century priory that was largely rebuilt in the 16th century. The rambling assortment of buildings sit within a 7-acre plot hidden away from the world and is a retirement home. However, they recently opened a small museum and provide tours. If you can, I highly recommend visiting this unique, living breathing piece of London history. 

Pubs

There are a large amount of pubs in the area, and not only that, put pubs that are historically interesting like Ye Olde Mitre, just off Hatton Garden. However, as we’re supposed to be focusing on Fleet Street, here are a few on that street alone.

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

Often, if establishments put the words ‘Ye Olde’ at the beginning of their name, it means they’re not old, but would like to be. However, a look at the sign over Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese’s threshold on Wine Office Court which reads ‘Rebuilt in 1667’ plus the list of Monarch’s that have reigned since it was rebuilt, beginning with Charles II would suggest you’re dealing with the real thing. You are.

Stepping in to Dr. Johnson’s local is a to step back in time. Once your eyes adjust to the dark, you’ll notice sawdust on the floor, low ceilings, a brazier burning in the ‘gentleman’s bar’ and the feeling that it probably hasn’t changed that much since the fictional character of Charles Darnay entered in Charles Dickens’ novel ‘A Tale of Two Cities’. Be sure to head down two floors to the cellar bar, but be careful not to bang your head on the way down, or up. 

The Tipperary

The Tipperary is a saloon bar style Irish pub on Fleet Street and claim not only to be the first Irish pub outside Ireland but the first to serve Guinness in England.

The Old Bell

Standing on the site of an earlier pub, The Old Bell (which I exuberantly labelled Ye Olde on my map) was apparently built by Christopher Wren after the Great Fire for the masons working on the adjacent St Bride’s church. 

The Punch Tavern

Occupying the site of a former 19th century gin palace, the Punch Tavern received its current name after employees of the nearby Punch magazine who were frequent patrons. 

​​Also in the series:

#00 – Introduction
#01 – Old Kent Road
#02 – Whitechapel Road
#03 – The Angel, Euston Rd & Pentonville Rd
#04 - Pall Mall
#05 – Whitehall & Northumberland Avenue
#06 – Bow Street
#07 – Marlborough Street & Vine Street
#08 - Strand

In this series I'm contacting a number of Tour Guides from around the world and asking them how they’ve been affected by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, what restrictions their individual governments have imposed, the impact, what they’ve been doing to keep their business ticking over, what their thoughts are for the future …and things like that.

This post features Frank, a lovely guy, who I first met a number of years ago when he came on one of my tours in London. Frank's company Asado Adventure in Buenos Aires is a little bit different from some of the other guides I'll be including here, as his tours involve actually going to his house to eat food. Sounds intriguing? Well, read what Frank has to say about it. 

Tell us a bit about your company?

My name is Frank Almeida and I have been a tour guide in Argentina since 2016. I am originally from Chicago. I followed my then-girlfriend, now wife, because she was missing home and wanted to be back near her family and I have always been curious what it would be like to live outside of the States. That was in 1999. In 2002 I created a gourmet cookie brand called 'Sugar and Spice' and I had the cookie factory up until 2015 when I sold it. I then went into food tourism and created Asado Adventure.  The idea behind this tour was to recreate the weekend family asado (grill) that is a big part of Argentine culture but that visitors rarely would get to experience because they would need to be invited to someone’s home. I receive visitors into my home and I show them how to light the grill and they make the chimichurri, a classic south American parsley and vegetable oil based sauce that accompanies steak dishes. They put the salad together, we then go shopping for some additional ingredients and visit the wine shop, bakery, and butcher shop and then head back home and finish putting everything together and have the food grilled by a professional Argentine grill master and we sit down to eat. Since then, I have added a full-day food and neighbourhood tour of Palermo Viejo and a craft-beer tour as well. Currently, I am developing an online half-hour quick streaming class on how to make chimichurri. This will be available shortly.

How has your government’s approach to Coronavirus impacted you and your business?

The Argentine government went into lockdown mode on March 20th. Before then, they had recommended social distancing and suggested that people should stay home except for essential outings like grocery shopping, medicine, etc. But once the order came down to lockdown, all of my touring activity ceased and I had to process a lot of cancelations. Argentina placed a strict stay-at-home order. We were only allowed to walk to the local shops for food and using automobiles or public transportation was not allowed except for people who had essential jobs. Basically, all of my business screeched to a halt as we saw all tourists head to the airports to leave the country. Everything was closed and at first only a small handful of restaurants offered to make dishes for pick up. The whole city looked like a ghost town and it was eerie walking down desolate streets that would normally be teeming with tourists.

Have you been self isolating / in lockdown? If so, how long and what’s your top tip for surviving?

At first, as a family with our two teenage daughters, we were consuming news about the pandemic and we hunkered down and came up with schedules for taking care of the house with the cooking and the cleaning. We also started watching a little more TV together. The girls started baking more and I also started looking up recipes to try new things to eat. We even tried some of the Instagram food trends like Dalgona coffee and mini pancakes (cereal pancakes). For Dalgona I incorporated sweetened condensed milk and Bailey’s turning out to be very successful experiments. 

What have you been doing during this period to keep your business ticking over?

I have been working on a virtual class where I teach people how to make chimichurri live. This is a very short class that only takes 30 minutes. I am doing this with a multinational technology company that is currently in beta testing so I can’t say who it’s with, but it’s going great so far and shortly it will be available to the American market first. In the meantime, I am working on having it available directly through my own website as well. I have also been doing a lot of cleaning, cooking, and house maintenance.

What have you most missed about not being able to do tours?

I have mostly missed meeting new people and introducing my neighbourhood and local foods to them. I miss the interaction and the walking around. So basically I miss the people and being outside.

How are you feeling about the future? Do you foresee changes in the tour guiding industry?

I think for the time being there will have to be changes. There will be no more handshakes for one when meeting someone. We have to get used to wearing masks and once we start loosening restrictions, we need to be more aware of our surroundings and how to stay safe. I think smaller activities that take place out in the open will be safer than large group tours for one. I have never liked being bussed around for a tour with a large group of people myself, but I would imagine that more people will want to avoid those types of activities in the near future. I think small private tours will be in a better position. I also think that these new virtual tours might also have a place in the market going forward.

Do you think life / business will go back to normal?

I’m not sure if we can go back to normal like we knew without a vaccine in place. I would imagine that once we do get a vaccine that we will most likely go back to normal, but we should also require that our governments focus on pandemic reactions and have a better idea of how to respond to these types of things going forward. There are plenty of really good examples of societies that were able to react quickly and control this thing before it got out of hand even though the majority of us did not experience that. Going forward, that would be a choice.

What have you been reading / listening to / playing / watching? 

I admit that I have started watching way more TV than I had before. I watched mostly series like Better Call Saul, Killing Eve, Billions, The Kominsky Method, Chernobyl, Tiger King, Crashing, The 100 and a little bit of regular TV like Blackish and Modern Family. But one thing that my daughters have grown to love is sitting down to watch Last Week Tonight, The Daily Show, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. They grew up with me watching The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report when they were younger. Now that they are teenagers they started to understand why I liked those so much.  I also purchased a subscription to the New York Times because I just wanted to have more access to the news. Considering everything that has been going on lately, I have no shortage of up to the minute information. I am also still getting used to running inside my house which is a bit boring, but it’s what I have. Starting on the 8th of June we will be able to go running outside in our own neighbourhood and only between 8pm and 8am. That is better than nothing.

Is there something in your city that you’re most looking forward to getting back to / revisiting?

I am looking forward to just being social again and going out and interacting with friends face to face. That first social pint is going to be excellent! I am also looking forward to sharing food with future guests to Argentina on my tours. I admit that when I have a lot of tours I start skipping a lot of the eating, but not always. I try to eat and drink alongside my guests as much as possible.

Have you found any positives from the current situation?

At first it seemed a bit scary what we were all living through, but the silver lining was that we got to spend more time together as a family. We cooked together more; we cleaned the house together more; we watched TV together more often. Fortunately, our house is big enough that for a great part of the day we could each have our own space without being on top of each other, but we would come together for shared activities. Our teenagers who normally would be more distant, have started sharing more during dinner and having more conversation, for example. 

If you think you might be heading to Buenos Aires in the next couple of years, then Frank would like to offer anyone reading this article a 10% discount on any of his Asado Adventure Tours, using the code: ASADOFRIEND at the checkout (and only redeemable if you use the above link and valid throughout 2021 and 2022).

​Also in the series:

#01 - Silvia in Rome
#02 - Mark in Amsterdam

Where is it?

Strand is a major road in central London which runs from Trafalgar Square to the City of London where it becomes Fleet Street.

What’s the story?

Until the development of Victoria Embankment in the second half of the 19th century, Strand was the major conduit between Westminster and the City. Strand in German, Dutch, Norwegian (and most northern European languages) means ‘beach’ (which is where the word ‘stranded’ originates – to be beached) and as such, runs along the northern edge of the river Thames. Londoners always refer to the thoroughfare as ‘The Strand’ although it doesn’t actually have a prefix. From the medieval period, the northern riverside was dominated by lavish, aristocratic mansions, which although long gone, live on in street names, with Somerset House, the only actual survivor.

​How do I get there?

Strand is just under a mile long, and has a number of transport links. To the east is Charing Cross and Embankment stations, and Temple can be found just over half way along. Strand is also serviced by the No.15 bus which goes all the way from Trafalgar Square to the Tower of London, via St Paul’s cathedral. It’s the only surviving ‘Routemaster’ bus route, which for the uninitiated, means that on weekends and bank holidays you can still board the old iconic ‘hop on and hop off’ buses, the kind you see pictures of on postcards and are effectively antiques on wheels. 

What’s it like now?

Twice serving 19th century Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli described Strand as ‘perhaps the finest street in Europe’. The same couldn’t be said now. A few old shops and stalwarts like Simpsons and the Savoy Hotel survive alongside west end theatres such as the Adelphi and Vaudeville Theatres, but much of Strand is dominated by generic high street shops, the doorways of which unfortunately, at night, become makeshift homes for London’s homeless population. At rush hour, or when ‘Changing The Guard’ is taking place outside Buckingham Palace, the traffic on Strand comes to a stand still.

Where would I stay?

Being so central, there’s a huge amount of choice, but as with my previous posts, I only mention hotels I’ve actually been to, which in this instance includes the Amba Hotel, Charing Cross, Strand Palace and ME London. I’ve also been to a few privately rented apartments near Victoria Embankment Gardens. Probably the most famous hotel on Strand (or maybe London) is the Savoy, which when it opened in 1889 was London’s first luxury hotel. I have been there to pick people up to begin Private walks, but don’t expect most people reading this to have the funds to even buy a cocktail there. I’ve represented the Savoy Hotel on the map with a picture of Kaspar the Cat, which resides at the hotel, is made of wood and was carved in 1927 with the sole purpose of being the 14th guest in the private dining rooms should a table of 13 book. The superstition dates back to 1898 and the death of a guest called Woolf Joel after dining at the Savoy with 12 other guests. His death incidentally, was in no way connected to the hotel. 

​What’s of interest?

Gordon’s Wine Bar

On Villiers Street, close to Embankment station is London’s best kept, worst kept secret, Gordon’s Wine Bar; a delightful little worm hole back in time that has been serving wine in its characterful, candlelit cellar since 1890. They do great buffet style lunches and the walls are adorned with an array of original framed newspaper pages relating to Royal events. In the summer you can sit out on Watergate Walk and pretend you’re sitting on a terrace somewhere far more exotic.

Top Tip – The main door is usually shut and the place will look like it’s been closed for decades. To enter, head down the steps leading to Watergate Walk, and through the doors on your left. 

Victoria Embankment Gardens

In 1858, London was plunged in to ‘the great stink’, after the Thames became stagnant with raw sewage. An engineer called Joseph Bazelgette kindly designed 2,500 miles of sewers to help alleviate the problem, and reclaimed a large chunk of river to build a sewage works, on top of which was laid Victoria Embankment Gardens. If you wander through you’ll notice a number of statues and memorials and undoubtedly see the ancient Egyptian Monument known as Cleopatra’s Needle, which dates back to about 1450BC, but has no connection with the Egyptian Queen of the same name. There’s a twin needle in New York and another in Paris.

York Water Gate

Nestling on the north side of Victoria Embankment Gardens is a weathered structure which was a Watergate built for George Villiers (the 1st Duke of Buckingham) in 1626, allowing his wealthy friends to arrive by boat at his residence, York House. I included York Watergate in my list of London Curiosities. Many people don’t notice it, but it is a very clear marker for showing just how far up the river used to come before Bazelgette reclaimed it.

Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy

I don’t imagine many tourists visit this particular church, hidden away behind the Savoy Hotel, but this Grade II listed building dates back to the early 16th century and does not come under the jurisdiction of a bishop, but is owned by the Duchy of Lancaster (AKA The Queen). A piece of trivia for you is that Bob Dylan filmed the now famous video for ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’ standing in between the Savoy Chapel and the Savoy hotel.

Courtauld Institute of Art

The Courtauld as it’s usually known is a wonderfully underrated gallery. There is an admission fee, but they have an amazing collection of 530 paintings heavily weighted towards ‘Impressionist’ and ‘Post Impressionist’ art including works by Manet, van Gogh, Gauguin and Cezanne and about 26,000 drawings and prints by the likes of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Dürer, Canaletto and Picasso. In 2018, the gallery closed for a number of years for a major refurbishment, but you can take a virtual tour of the Courtauld collection. 

Somerset House

Step off Strand in to the courtyard of Somerset House and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped in to a film set. That’s because you have. This largely 18th century building has been the back drop to a couple of James Bond films, The Duchess (starring Keira Knightley), Guy Ritchie’s ‘Sherlock Holmes’ starring Robert Downey Junior and many more. The building itself has a fascinating history (far too much to write here) but you can jump on a free tour of the site, which also includes a visit to the ‘Deadhouse’ beneath the courtyard. Today the building is home to hundreds of businesses and entrepreneurs, but also has regular exhibitions and cafes for you to enjoy a cuppa. 

​Australia House

As well as being a ridiculously opulent and grand early 20th century building and home to the longest continuously occupied diplomatic mission in the UK (the Australians) and standing over a 900-year old well, Australia House has a special place in the hearts of Harry Potter fans. The building was turned in to ‘Gringott’s Wizarding Bank’ for the film of ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

St. Clement Danes church

Standing directly opposite Australia House is St Clement Danes, made famous by the nursery rhyme which begins “Oranges and lemons say the bells of St Clements”. It was burned out during WWII and the rebuilding was paid for by the Royal Air Force. For this reason, you’ll see the RAF insignia dotted around and memorials to Bomber Harris (itself pretty contentious) and Lord Dowding. The interior has memorials to all the Allied air forces and pilots who fought during WWII. If you walk along the north side (closest to the Royal Courts of Justice) you’ll notice a lot of shrapnel damage still scarring the outer wall. 

Royal Courts of Justice

A huge section of Strand is dominated by the gothic revivalist grandeur of the Royal Courts of Justice which opened in 1882. During the week you’ll often find journalists and photographers or demonstrators outside and I highly recommend popping in if you can. The entrance hall alone, which is pretty much empty, is a good five times bigger than St Clement Danes. George Edmund Street who designed the building literally built a cathedral to law. 

Twinings Tea Shop

Directly opposite the Royal Courts of Justice is the tiny corridor-like shop of Twinings, a tea brand that most people around the world have heard of. They’ve been selling tea from that exact spot since 1706 and is a must visit spot for tea enthusiasts visiting London. You can have a look at their tiny museum at the back of the shop and note their Royal Warrant proudly displayed above the door as you enter. 

Inner and Middle Temple

The Knights Templar originally had a base in this part of London and after they were disbanded in the very early 14th century, the land was sold to lawyers, and two of London’s four Inns of Court have been based there ever since. 

If you can, I highly recommend wandering through the alleyways and courtyards that stretch all the way to the Thames and I see regularly used as sets in TV dramas. You’ll undoubtedly stumble across Middle Temple Hall, the oldest surviving Elizabethan hall in London, where the first performance of Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ is said to have taken place.

You’ll also discover the incredible Temple Church, which Tom Hanks’ character visits in ‘The Da Vinci Code’. Although badly damaged during WWII, the round chapel dates back to 1185, whilst the new bit, which forms the main bulk of the church was completed c1240. It’s a wonderful hidden gem, so if you can visit, I highly recommend it.

If you walked along Strand from Trafalgar Square, you'll now find yourself on Fleet Street, which as it happens, is the next property on the London Monopoly board.  

​Also in the series:

#00 – Introduction
#01 – Old Kent Road
#02 – Whitechapel Road
#03 – The Angel, Euston Rd & Pentonville Rd
#04 - Pall Mall
#05 – Whitehall & Northumberland Avenue
#06 – Bow Street
#07 – Marlborough Street & Vine Street

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​In this series I'm contacting a number of Tour Guides from around the world and asking them how they’ve been affected by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, what restrictions their individual governments have imposed, the impact, what they’ve been doing to keep their business ticking over, what their thoughts are for the future …and things like that.

Mark's been doing his tours in Amsterdam for the last seven years. I met him a couple of years ago when he came to London and did two walks with me over the course of a particularly cold, wet and snowy weekend.

​Tell us a bit about your company?

That Dam Guide is Amsterdam’s best rated small group and private tour company. I started the company in 2013 to offer small group tours, 8 people max, at a reasonable cost. My basic tour is a 3-hour history and general info walking tour on the old town. The Red Light District gets its own 90-minute walking tour. About 5 years ago I started offering driving tours through lovely countryside to windmills, a family farm and, in the tulip season, to Keukenhof Gardens and tulip fields.

How has your government’s approach to Coronavirus impacted you and your business?

I am a sole trader and use freelance guides. The Dutch government has been pretty supportive to freelancers and sole traders. They have given us all between 500 and 1500 euros a month depending on our circumstances. This is now being extended to October. The amount I get is nowhere close to my lost earnings but it does cover my rent and food. Museum, hotels, cafes, bars were closed until the 1st June so there have been no tourists in town. Planned meetings of more than 2 people were also banned so that precluded walking or driving tours.

Have you been self isolating / in lockdown? If so, how long and what’s your top tip for surviving?

No, it was not necessary to self-isolate. Amsterdam had a fairly lax lockdown. I threw myself into doing household chores I’ve put off for years and lots of cooking.

What have you been doing during this period to keep your business ticking over?

I didn’t do anything initially and treated it like a spring staycation. Okay, I did a lot of admin, issuing refunds for all bookings! 

I’ve made a couple of little films of parts of tours, like walking through the tulip fields as I could still drive and enjoy them. 

I’ve switched all of my remaining tours that are available for booking in 2020 from small group to private tours. I feel that people might be reluctant to join a group of strangers, no matter how small. I’ve also slashed the price of the private tours to make them affordable for people who would usually book a small group tour.

I’ve spent a while buying and testing equipment and am now up and running with virtual tours. This means I am walking and filming and talking to and taking questions from people who are participating from their own home. There have been many things to learn and practice but I feel quite upbeat about these and enjoy them very much.

What have you most missed about not being able to do tours?

I miss the work so much. I love showing people Amsterdam and sharing time chatting with them. It is so rewarding making people on holiday happy and I can’t wait to do it again!

How are you feeling about the future? Do you foresee changes in the tour guiding industry?

It’s so hard to say. I hope that Amsterdam is not overrun like it was before. Mass tourism had taken its toll and locals were fed up. If things can ease back and hopefully a way can be found that limits tourism so that visitors and locals can enjoy the city in harmony!

Do you think life / business will go back to normal?

Sure, why not. There have been countless disasters and tragedies in history and life bounces back. We humans are a resilient lot.

What have you been reading / listening to / playing / watching? 

Initially I decided to escape with a bit of fiction. Usually I only read about history in general and the Netherlands in particular. I remembered loving Captain Corelli’s Mandolin so looked up the author and got lost in two recent novels of his: The Dust that Falls from Dreams (2015) and So Much Life Left Over (2018). They were GREAT! Now I’m half way through my favourite book about Amsterdam. It’s by Russell Shorto and called: Amsterdam, the Story of the World’s Most Liberal City. This is an essential read for anyone who is gong to visit the city and wants to get an idea of its history and soul.

Is there something in your city that you’re most looking forward to getting back to / revisiting?

I have missed Droog Design so much. It’s my favourite design space and they host exhibitions exploring the role of design in modern life. I’ve also sorely missed trying new restaurants and all the lovely craft beer bars. Those are now open but unfortunately until work picks up I won’t be doing much luxury spending.

Have you found any positives from the current situation?

Absolutely. With Amsterdam itself, this has been a very interesting experience for me. Because there was no real lockdown and we were allowed to go out at will for any reason, it was possible to cycle the deserted city streets. I remember being on Dam Square at 6pm on a Saturday evening and the place was deserted bar one Romanian clarinettist playing hauntingly melancholic music. Locals have had the space to experience and explore their city without the crush of mass tourism. This has been a thought provoking for all. 

Because so many countries have been in lockdown, there was the time and opportunity to connect with friends and family on video call because they were home with not much to do! This has established some routines that will continue post Coronavirus.

​Also in this series:

#01 - Silvia in Rome

​In this series I will be contacting a number of Tour Guides from around the world and asking them how they’ve been affected by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, what restrictions their individual governments have imposed, the impact, what they’ve been doing to keep their business ticking over, what their thoughts are for the future …and things like that.

First up is Silvia in Rome. I met Silvia a number of years ago when me and my dad spent a number of days in 'the eternal city'. Silvia gave us an amazing tour around Trastevere, Campo dei Fiori and the Jewish Ghetto and would highly recommend trying to book either Silvia or one of her colleagues if one day, you find yourself visiting the wonderful city of Rome.

Tell us a bit about your company?

Hi! I’m Silvia from Rome and my company is “A Friend in Rome”.  I started it in 2009 and I mainly lead walking tours, but also bike and Vespa tours. I also like arranging experiences and day trips, so last year, I started another activity called ‘Around Rome Day Trips’, devoted to these explorations just outside the city, for travellers based in Rome. 

How has your government’s approach to Coronavirus impacted you and your business?

We were in total lockdown for 2 months and officially blocked in our activity for 3 whole months. Museums and archaeological areas were closed on the 8th March and some are yet to re-open. Those that have reopened have strict limitations to prevent a resurgence of the pandemic. Therefore, we cannot lead tours in these places, or with just very small groups. 

One airport, Ciampino, has been totally closed, whilst the other, Fiumicino, only operated for emergencies. We’ve only been allowed to move from one “regione” to another (our counties) since the 3rd June. Restaurants have been closed, and many in the city centre have not reopened yet.

Have you been self isolating / in lockdown? If so, how long and what’s your top tip for surviving?

I was in strict lockdown for 2 months and allowed outside with restrictions for the whole month of May. Luckily I like reading and studying and I had tons of books and studying material at hand and time to dedicate. Also I like cooking, which was something many Italians started doing while forced to stay at home. I was already a reasonable cook, but my results have vastly improved. Lastly, I had already started a programme of home gym before the lockdown and it was a good way to keep fit and active. But the top resource was my sunny balcony …the only one in the house. It became my versatile room, from library to gym, from office to concert hall and dining room. I have felt less trapped. 

What have you been doing during this period to keep your business ticking over?

I have been doing research and planning future tours and put the final touches to three or four tours which were almost ready and got new ideas. I enhanced my online activity by writing a blog about the “behind the curtains” job of a tour guide. I studied a bit about marketing and social media. I started my LinkedIn page, revised my website texts with an American friend. Alongside this, I have been networking with colleagues I already know outside of Rome, but also made some new “virtual” friendship and hope to meet them soon in person. 

What have you most missed about not being able to do tours?

The relationships with new people every day, walking, being surrounded by beauty and history every day, eating gelato with new friends, meeting colleagues after the tours for a drink. I understood how much I already loved my life.

How are you feeling about the future? Do you foresee changes in the tour guiding industry?

Well, surely it will be different for a while. I’m reading what experts say and I am comforted by the fact the direction they show is more or less what I was already doing: off the beaten path tours, not crowded locations, open air as much as possible, small parties and private customised tours. I am trying now to work more with locals, which is something I already wanted to develop and now it’s an urge, as international travellers won’t probably start rebooking until the autumn (2020), but I really hope I can build a new market for my tours and especially new tours just for Italians and Romans. So, generally speaking I’m optimistic.

Do you think life / business will go back to normal?

In time, probably it will. I hope we can all learn some lessons: gratitude, the importance of relationships and not just in private life. Putting our souls in to the job we do, no matter what it is. 

What have you been reading / listening to / playing / watching? 

I read several books, especially essays on Etruscans and Suburban areas of Rome. I can’t play but listened to some good albums during my gym sessions and I’m  still watching a series of readings by an Italian actor, Roberto Benigni on “The Divine Comedy” by Dante.

Is there something in your city that you’re most looking forward to getting back to / revisiting?

I’m waiting for the Etruscan museum of Rome, Villa Giulia, to reopen as I’ve been focusing a lot of my studies on them during this period. I long to go to Babington’s Tea House here at the Spanish Steps. I had just decided to go and pamper myself there when the lockdown started, so had to put it on hold. Back then it was March and a cup of tea sounded lovely, but now maybe I will convert it to a great ice cream on a Roman terrace. 

Many sites already reopened in Rome, so I’ve already been back to St. Peter’s and the Vatican Museums, Ancient Ostia, Borghese Gallery and my favourite park Villa Pamphili. Next week I’ll go again to the Colosseum / Forum which reopened last Monday.

Have you found any positives from the current situation?

I understood how important is is to me, to be outdoors, spending time with people who share my interests, experiencing something together like trekking, biking, exploring new places. I understood how much I loved my life already, and my job, and that we do not need too much to be happy: a glass of wine and a sandwich on the grass with good friends was true bliss after the lockdown! 

If you're heading to Rome, then I highly recommend booking a tour with Silvia and "A Friend in Rome".